Posted in - 2013 Swap Recipes, - Meatless, - Pork, - Poultry, - Red Meat, - Seafood/Fish, Meal Swap Recipes

Meal Swap: October 2013 Recipes for Friday Am’s Swap

October 2013 Menu for Friday Am’s Swap

Chicken Parmesan – Lindsey M.

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6 Chicken Breasts
Jar of Spaghetti Sauce
noodles
1/3 cup of grated Parmesan Cheese
2 cups Mozzarella Cheese

Prep Day Directions: Measure and package cheese and Chicken. Label and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Remove cheeses from freezer bag. Thaw chicken and cheeses. Place spaghetti sauce and parmesan cheese in 9×13 dish. Mix. Cut Chicken pieces in half and add to pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella on top of chicken and bake for 5 more minutes. Serve over noodles.

Asian Turkey Meatballs and Rice – Gretchen

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Meatballs:
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped 
2 tbsp scallion, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of panko crumbs
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Dipping Sauce:
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4-1/2 tsp honey, to taste
1 scallion, chopped

Prep Day Directions: Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, water,sesame oil, green onion, and honey together in a dish. Whisk until well combined; set aside. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Combine the ground turkey, egg, green onion, cilantro, ginger, garlic, panko, soy sauce, sesame oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste together in a large bowl. Gently mix the ingredients until well combined. Shape mixture into balls, then place into the baking dish. Place the meatballs into the oven and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Serve Day Directions: Prepare rice. Reheat meatballs until heated through, either in microwave or in oven. Serve with rice and dipping sauce.

Baked Herb Fish Fillets – Carrie L.

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1cup of Italian flavored bread crumbs, either ready made or your own version
1/2 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
1 teaspoon of garlic powder or a minced garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2-3 pounds of frozen fish

Prep Day Directions: Freeze fish fillets. Combine bread crumbs, parm cheese, garlic powder and salt in 1 qt bag, attach to fish pack and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: To serve, thaw fish and bread crumb mixture. Lightly beat one egg white and dip fillets in it. Put fillets one at a time in bread crumb mixture; make sure each is coated. Remove and arrange fillets in baking dish. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes (until fish flakes easily).

Meatball Sandwich Casserole – Vanessa

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1 bag (14 to 16oz.) frozen meatballs
garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper for extra flavor to your taste
1 regular sized jar of marinara sauce or your favorite red sauce
2 c four Italian cheese blend, shredded
1 loaf of frozen garlic bread, sliced (I like the Alexia brand)
Prep Day: Package up and label the ingredients for freezing.

Serve Day: Thaw. Preheat oven to 400. Place entire bag of meatballs in pot with sauce (You can also add garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper for extra flavor if you would like) and cook over medium heat until warmed completely through, about 10 minutes. Stir as needed to keep meatballs from sticking to pot.

Take the slices of Italian bread and line the pan all the way around with them so that they are kind of keeping the meatballs toward the center of the pan. The bread slices need to be standing up.

Once meatballs heated through remove from heat. Place meatballs in the center of a 9×13 baking dish, layer Italian blend cheeses over meatballs.

Place in oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Remove from oven, serve and enjoy! A side salad goes nicely with this quick meal.

Vegetable Lasagna – Jessica

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Recipe to come…

Ham and Swiss Crepes – Carolyn

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1/2 cup flour
pinch of salt
3 eggs
3/4 milk
2 tbsp melted butter
2 cups shredded swiss cheese
1/2 pound thinly slice Black Forest Ham

Prep Day Directions: For the crepe batter, combine the flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the eggs, and milk and whisk to combine. Stir in the melted butter.

Preheat a 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium low heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Cover the bottom of the skillet with just enough batter to coat, lifting and shaking the skillet to help the batter along. Let the crepe cook and lightly brown on one side. Flip over. Place crepes in freezer bag and bag ham and cheese as well.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw. Place some cheese and ham on top of crepes. Season with a little salt and pepper, then fold the crepe over and cook on skillet until the cheese starts to melt.

Pork Eggs Rolls – Lindsay L.

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1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
6 cups (48 ounces) vegetable oil
1 napa cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds), thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, coarsely grated
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pound ground pork
6 scallions, thinly sliced
16 egg-roll wrappers (6 to 7 inches square)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
bottled sweet-and-sour sauce and spicy mustard, for serving

Prep Day: In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add cabbage, carrots, garlic, and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until vegetables are tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

Raise heat to high; add pork and soy mixture. Cook, tossing, until pork is no longer pink and liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes; mix in scallions. Transfer mixture to a plate to cool. Lay wrappers flat on a work surface, and assemble egg rolls.

HOW TO ROLL AN EGG ROLL –

Filling It Up: Lay 3 or 4 egg-roll wrappers flat on counter. (Keep other wrappers covered with a damp paper towel.) Place 1/3 cuppork mixture in center of each.

Folding It Up: Using a pastry brush, wet border with egg. Fold point of wrapper that’s closest to you over the pork mixture, and tuck under the filling.

Folding It In: Fold both side corners toward center of wrapper (they won’t meet in the center). It should look like an open envelope.

Finishing It Up: Tightly roll up filled pocket to close wrapper, then gently press down to seal the edges.

Flash freeze, package up till ready to use.

Serve Day: To Fry – In a 5-quart pot, heat remaining oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. Working in batches of 4, and returning oil to 350 degrees for each batch, fry egg rolls until golden, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes; drain on paper towels. Serve with sweet-and-sour sauce and spicy mustard.

OR

To Bake – If you prefer, these egg rolls can be baked. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet; place egg rolls on sheet and brush with cup oil. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Serve with sweet-and-sour sauce and spicy mustard. If baking from frozen, bake about 15 minutes.

Notes to Swappers

November 2013 Menu Rotation:

Seafood/Fish – Carolyn and Lindsay L.
Poultry – Heather T. and Carrie L.
Beef – Lindsey M. and Gretchen
Meatless or Your Choice – Vanessa
Pork – Jessica and Keri (out this month)

Please email me your two recipes to be voted. Also don’t forget to submit your completed to the blog. Need all recipes Monday before the swap. Thanks for cooperation!

Next Swap is on 11/15 @ 11:30am in the first free church gym (51st and Chicago ave.).

Posted in - 2013 Swap Recipes, - Meatless, - Pork, - Poultry, - Red Meat, Meal Swap Recipes

Meal Swap: Wednesday’s October 2013 Menu and Recipes

Wednesday’s October 2013 Menu and Recipes

All recipes serve 6 unless otherwise noted.

Choice-

Nicole: Curry Chicken and Couscous

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1 can of condensed cream of mushroom soup or chicken soup
1 tables curry powder
2 cups cut up cooked chicken
bag of frozen vegetables
box of couscous

Prep Day Directions: Make and cut chicken. Mix cooked chicken, curry and vegetables in bag and freeze.

Serve Day Directions: Make couscous according to directions. Thaw frozen bag. Contents in skillet with cream of mushroom with 1 cup of water. Bring to boiling, reduce to low. Cover and simmer 3 and 5 minutes. Serve over couscous. May be better with cream of chicken soup, may want to increase chicken to 3 cups.

Ashley K.: Company Sandwiches

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To make 10 batches of 6 servings each:
60 mini Hoagie rolls
2 1/2 sticks butter
5 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
2T plus 2 tsp. oregano
2T plus 2 tsp. garlic powder
1/3 cup paprika
6 oz grated parmesan cheese
2 cups milk
1.5 lbs deli sliced turkey
1.5 lbs deli sliced ham
1.5 lbs deli sliced roast beef
4 lbs muenster cheese

Prep Day: Slice bread lengthwise but not completely through. Cream together cream cheese, butter, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, parmesan cheese, and milk. Spread creamy mixture on both sides of bread. Layer one slice each of ham, turkey, and roast beef with muenster cheese in middle. Fold over so meat and cheese are doubled. Wrap in foil and freeze in gallon sized bag.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw and bake in foil at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

North American/European-

Kristine: Bleu cheese walnut Pork chops

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6 boneless pork chops
salt/pepper/seasoning of your choice

Blue Cheese Walnut Butter:
1 stick of butter- unsalted- room temp
1 tablespoon of rosemary
2 teaspoons of parsley
2 oz of Blue Cheese
2 heaping spoonfuls of toasted walnuts crushed

Prep Day Directions: To prepare meat – Rub seasoning on both sides of porkchops. Place meat flat in bag and freeze. To prepare butter – Use butter at room temp, add ingredients to butter, mix well. Place butter mixture in bag and freeze flat.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw meat. Thaw butter to room temp. Bake pork chops at 350 for 20-30 minutes covered with foil. or grill each side for 5-7 min. Pork’s internal temp should be 150-160. After pork is cooked add a spoonful of butter on each chop. Gauge your cooking temperatures and time so not to dry out pork.

Kellie: Turkey with pecan cherry stuffing

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1 fresh or frozen boneless turkey breast (about 3 to 4 pounds)
2 cups rice
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 cup peach, apricot or plum preserves 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Prep Day Directions: Seperately bag up 2 cups of rice in one bag. In another bag, put pecans, cranberries and poultry seasoning. In another bag, put apricot preserves and worcestershire. Put turkey and seperate bags in a large quart size bag, seal and lable.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw contents. Remove and discard Turkey skin and gravy packet. Cook rice (4 cups of water to 2 cups of rice).Cut Turkey into slices three fourths of the way through at 1-inch intervals. Stir together cooked rice, pecans, cherries and poultry seasoning in large bowl. Stuff rice mixture between slices. If needed, skewer turkey lengthwise to hold it together. Place turkey in slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours or until turkey registers 170°F on meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast, not touching stuffing. Stir together preserves and Worcestershire sauce. Spoon over turkey. Cover; let stand for 5 minutes. Remove skewer before serving.

Italian/Mediterranean.-

Emily: Parmesan Meatloaf

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2 large eggs
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2/3 cup chopped fresh basil
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 small onion or 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 lbs ground beef
1 cup shredded mozzarella
2-2/3 cup marinara sauce

Prep Day Directions: In a large bowl, stir eggs, garlic, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper to blend. Mix in 2/3 cup marinara sauce, basil, Parmesan, onion and panko. Add beef and blend well. Put in gallon sized freezer bag. Put 2 cups marinara and 1 cup shredded mozzarella into freezer bags.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw ingredients Preheat oven to 375 Mound meatloaf mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet; press out to 12×8 inch rectangle (about 1 inch thick). Spread 1/2 cup sauce thinly over the top. Bake meatloaf until cooked through and instant read thermometer registers 160F, 25 to 30 minutes (there will be lots of juices and drippings on sheet around loaf). Cut the meatloaf into eight 4-inch squares and separate the squares slightly. On each square, spread 2 generous tablespoons sauce, leaving a border of meat visible. Sprinkle 1 Tbspof mozzarella cheese in center of sauce. Return meatloaf to oven. Bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Asian/Indian

Jenica: Mulligatawny Soup (Indian Soup)

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The name Mulligatawny comes from 2 oriental Indian words meaning ‘pepper water’ and curry is the particular ingredient that gives this incredible soup such a delicious flavor.

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 apple, cored and chopped
1/4 cup white rice
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast half – cut into cubes
salt to taste ground black pepper to taste
1 pinch dried thyme
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated

Prep Day Directions: Sauté onions, celery, carrot, and butter in a large soup pot. Add flour and curry, and cook 5 more minutes. Add chicken stock, mix well, and bring to a boil. Simmer about 1/2 hour. Add apple, rice, chicken, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until rice is done.

Serve Day Directions: Heat and when serving, add hot cream (optional).

Southwestern/Latin America –

Ashley B.: Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

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1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), cooked and shredded
12 corn tortillas
2 cups of Mexican cheese blend, shredded (1 small bag usually is 2 cups)
1 14-oz can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream
nonstick cooking spray
1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro, to garnish

Prep Day Directions: Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.

In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine.

Pour this mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.

Spray the sides and bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream.

Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish.

Add a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Cover the chicken with a large tablespoon (or big pinch) of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada – it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.

Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. You will use about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired. Pour this mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw the enchiladas in fridge overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the enchiladas for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top.

Kirsten: Taco Pizza

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1 lb ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning

Pizza crust:
1/2 c salsa
1 can refried beans
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed Doritos

Optional (you provide): shredded lettuce, sour cream

Prep Day Directions: Brown beef, drain. Add taco seasoning and simmer, then add salsa. Bag and freeze. Bag tomatoes, cheese, and chips separately. Bag and freeze. Label beans and pizza crust.

Serve Day Directions: Thaw all bags completely. Follow directions on pizza crust label, pre bake. Spread beans over crust, top with beef and salsa miixture. Add tomatoes, chips and cheese. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted. If desired, top with shredded lettuce and serve with sour cream.

Next Swap: Will be at Kirsten’s house on 10/9/13 at 8:30pm. Please submit your finished recipe to the blog on the Monday before swap. Thanks for your cooperation!

November 2013 Rotation:

Your Choice – Kirsten and Ashley B
North American/European – Nicole and Ashley K.
Italian/Mediterranean – Kristine and Kellie
Asian/Indian – Erin and Emily
Southwestern/Latin American – Bridget and Jenica

Posted in - Poultry

Fine Cooking Fridays: Grilled Greek Chicken

Grilled Greek Chicken

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Adapted from amycaseycooks

Serves: 4

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large tomato, diced
2 kirby cucumbers, diced
¼ cup red onion, diced
1/2 cup black olives, sliced in half
Hot peppers (optional)
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
4 pitas, cut in wedges

Prep Day: In a mason jar, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, basil, mustard, salt, and pepper. Screw on the top and shake vigorously. Place the chicken in a resealable bag and add about 3/4 cup of the marinade/vinaigrette. Refrigerate the leftovers. Seal bag and marinate chicken for at least 15 minutes or freeze at this point.

Serve Day: Thaw. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Remove the chicken from the marinade/vinaigrette and discard the bag and the marinade. Grill the chicken for about 3 – 5 minutes per side or until it is just cooked through. Remove from grill to a platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

In a small bowl combine the tomato, cucumber, red onion, and olives and add the remaining 1/4 cup of marinade/vinaigrette. Toss to coat.

Time of serving, top grilled chicken with the tomato-cucumber salad, a sprinkle with the feta cheese, and the pita wedges.